Saving The Beast #Wattys2020

Chapter 44

Pareho kaming nakahiga ni Adam sa kama nito. Malaki ito para sa aming dalawa.

Napapikit ako habang nilalaro nito ang dulo ng buhok. Inayos ko ang pagkakaunan sa braso niya at dinama ang kapayapaan sa pagitan namin.

"Baby," rinig kong sambit nito.

"Hmmm," I lazily responded. I wanted to take a nap. Kahit ilang minuto lang. Noong sinabihan ako ni Adam na sa tabi na lamang niya ako matulog at huwag sa sofa ay hindi na ako nag-inarte pa. I wanted to be beside him. Always. Kaya naman ay agad akong sumang-ayon sa nais nito.

"Marry me," mahinang sambit nito ngunit dinig na dinig iyon ng tenga ko. Agad akong napamulat at tiningala ito.

"Anong sabi mo?" tanong ko dito. Hindi ito nagsalita at nakatingin lamang sa kisame ng silid. "Hey," tawag pansin ko dito. "Ano nga ulit iyon?" pangungulit ko. Damnit! Alam kong narinig ko ang mga salitang sinambit niya, but hell! I want him to say it again. Iyong dilat ako at nakatingin sa kanya!

"Nothing," he said then looked at me. He smiled weakly then kissed my forehead. "Sleep, Belle," anito at inayos ang pagkakahiga ko.

Napanguso na lamang ako at yumakap sa kanya. I closed my eyes again then hid a smile.

My Adam Zamora is shy right now! Kita ko ang pamumula ng tenga nito!

"Baby," narinig kong muli ang pagtawag nito kaya naman ay hindi ko na naitago ang mga ngiti ko sa labi.

"If you're going to ask me again to marry you, then you must recover fast, Adam. Only then I'll accept your proposal," I said while smiling widely. "Now, let me take a rest, please," ani ko pa at hinigpitan ang yakap sa kanya.

"I love you," I've heard him whispered that makes my heart so happy.

I love you, too.

Naalimpungatan ako dahil pakiramdam ko ay may mga matang nakatitig sa akin. Slowly, I opened my eyes. And I was right! May mga matang matamang nakatitig sa akin, sa amin. Mabilis akong bumaling kay Adam at nakahinga ako nang maayos noong makitang mahimbing ang pagkakatulog nito.

Maingat akong bumangon mula sa pagkakahiga at hinarap ang nag-iisang pamilyang mayroon si Adam, ang kanyang lolo, si Don Alejandrino Zamora.

"Don Zamora," I formally acknowledge his presence. The Don just smiled at me then looked at his grandson.

"I've heard what happened, hija. Are you okay?" he asked with full of concern.

"Opo, ayos lang po ako," I answered then looked at Adam. "He also remembered me again, too," I smiled as I looked closely to the man whom I will surely claimed as mine for the rest of my life.

"Can I talked to you privately, Belle?" napabaling ako kay Don Zamora sa naging tanong nito. Siguro ay nakita nito ang pag-aalinlangan ko kaya naman ay ngumiti ito sa akin. "Don't worry about my grandson. Just give me five minutes of your time."

Tumango na lamang ako dito at mabilis na binalingang muli si Adam. Lumapit ako dito at inayos ang kumot nito. "I'll be back," I whispered to him then turned to Don Zamora who's waiting for me.

Sa katabing silid lang kami ni Adam nagtungo ni Don Zamora. Iyong silid noong naconfined din ako dito sa hospital na ito. Pinagmasdan ko ang pag-upo ni Don Zamora sa sofang naroon. He motioned me to sit kaya naman ay agad ko iyong sinunod. Pagkaupo ko ay agad na nagsalita ito na siyang nagpalakas ng tibok ng puso ko.

"Can you stay with him, Belle?" tanong agad ng Don sa akin. "Alam mo kung anong klaseng tao na ngayon si Adam, Belle. He's not the same Adam who used to hang up with you when you were seven. He's a different man now."

Hindi ako nagsalita at hinayaan kong ilabas lahat ni Don Zamora ang nais nitong sabihin sa akin.

"When his family left the country, it was really a family matter. I was hospitalized back then. Walang ibang hahawak ng negosyo ng pamilya namin kung hindi ang anak ko, ang daddy ni Adam. And that business was not an ordinary business, Belle. I was known to be the head of Black Organization back then and when they found out my condition, my enemies took advantage on that."

I saw him sighed before continuing.

"Pati ang pamilya ni Adam ay nadamay. It was all my fault kaya hindi agad sila nakabalik noon. I stopped them to leave because that was the only way to protect my family. To keep them beside me. Years passed, everything turned out so well. But not until some clan tried to assasinate my son. Things became complicated and shits happened," nanlamig ako sa mga salitang binibitawan ni Don Zamora. Ito na iyong mga sagot sa mga tanong ko. Iyong mga tanong na hindi ko kayang imungkahi kay Adam. Ito na iyon!

"Adam heard the news about your accident and immediately flew back here but the moment he stepped his foot on the airport, his parents was killed."

Napaawang ang mga labi ko.

"It was the darkest days of my grandson's life. And it changed him. He became someone who doesn't care about everything. Ang gusto niya lang gawin ay ang maghiganti sa taong pumatay sa mga magulang niya at sa taong naging dahilan kung bakit hindi mo siya maalala."

Mabilis kong inalis ang mga luha sa pisngi at walang lakas na napasandal sa likuran ng sofang kinauupuan.

Hindi ko kayang isipin ang mga pinagdaanan ni Adam noon. Back then, wala akong inisip na kahit ano kung hindi ang sarili ko lamang samantalang halos masira na pala ang buhay ng taong lubos kong minamahal!

"Let me asked you again, hija. Can you still accept my grandson?"

Kinalma ko muna ang sarili bago magsalita. I sighed then looked at him intently.

"Adam will always be my Adam. He maybe changed as you claimed he is, but still, I can feel it here," ani ko at itinuro ang dibdib kung nasaan ang puso ko. "I can still feel the loving teenage boy who confessed his true feelings towards me before."

"He told me that I was his dream. So, am I. Dreams never changed no matter how hard it is to reached. No matter what circumstances we faced, dreams were dreams. And if staying by his side will make him happy again, then I'll be willingly choose to be with him no matter what, Don Zamora."

"Even if your life will always be in a danger zone?" I saw a small smile on the old man's face. I nodded at him then smiled a little too.

"A perfect relationship is boring. And I'm sure that as long as we are together, danger will be just a word for us."

"Oh, Belle," bahagyang natawa ang Don sa akin. Mabilis akong lumapit dito at naupo sa tabi ng matanda. I hugged him on his side that makes the old man cried some tears. "My grandson suffered alot. Please, make him happy, Belle."

"I will po. I promised," I politely answered.

"Come on," anito at pinunasan ang sariling mga luha. "Baka hinahanap ka na ng apo ko," anito at nauna nang tumayo at lumabas ng silid.

Pinagmasdan ko ang pintuang nilabasan ng Don. He really loved his grandson. Adam was really lucky to have someone like him. Someone who will make sure that you will have the happiness that your heart truely desires.

Smiled weakly then sighed before getting up from my seat.